Article 13 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
المادة 13 من نظام التحكيم · الباب الثالث: هيئة التحكيم
The article requires the arbitral tribunal to consist of one or more arbitrators in an odd number, or the arbitration is void.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تشكل هيئة التحكيم من محكم واحد أو أكثر، على أن يكون العدد فردياً وإلا كان التحكيم باطلاً.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 13 explained in plain English
This article sets a clear rule for forming the arbitral tribunal: it may consist of one or more arbitrators, but on condition that the number is odd (1, 3 or 5, for example).
The consequence of violation: if the number is not odd, the arbitration is void. It would not be valid, for example, for the tribunal to consist of two or four arbitrators.
What does this mean in practice?
- When drafting the arbitration clause, an odd number of arbitrators should be stated.
- If each party agrees to appoint an arbitrator, an additional arbitrator is needed so that the number is odd.
This article comes after Article 12, which requires the competent court to refer the dispute to arbitration if the parties agree to it while it is being heard. It is followed by Article 14, which sets the conditions an arbitrator must meet: full capacity, good conduct and reputation, and holding at least a university degree in Sharia or legal sciences, with this last condition sufficing if it is met by the chairman of the tribunal where there are several arbitrators.
To draft an arbitration clause that forms the tribunal correctly, you can seek the help of a lawyer specialized in arbitration and commercial cases.
Practical example
Two partners in a company in Riyadh wrote in the partnership contract that "each party appoints one arbitrator and the two decide the dispute". As worded, this clause results in a tribunal of two arbitrators, an even number that makes the arbitration void under this article, so a third arbitrator should be provided for.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 13 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
May the arbitral tribunal consist of two arbitrators?
No. The article requires the number of arbitrators to be odd, or the arbitration is void.
Is one arbitrator enough to decide the dispute?
Yes. The article allows the arbitral tribunal to consist of one arbitrator.
What is the effect of violating the odd-number requirement?
The arbitration is void, by the text of the article.
More articles on Arbitral Tribunal and Appointing Arbitrators
- Article 1
The article defines three key terms in the Arbitration Law: the arbitration agreement, the arbitral tribunal and the competent court.
تدل العبارات الآتية الواردة في هذا النظام على المعاني الموضحة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : 1 - اتفاق التحكيم : هو اتفاق بين طرفين أو أكثر على أن يحيلا إ
- Article 14
The article requires an arbitrator to have full capacity, good conduct and reputation, and at least a university degree in Sharia or legal sciences, the latter sufficing in the chairman where there are several arbitrators.
يشترط في المحكم ما يأتي : 1 ـ أن يكون كامل الأهلية. 2 ـ أن يكون حسن السيرة والسلوك. 3 ـ أن يكون حاصلاً على الأقل على شهادة جامعية في العلوم الشرعية أو النظامية،
- Article 15
The article regulates choosing arbitrators by the parties' agreement, and when and how the competent court steps in, the periods to be observed, and that its decision is not separately appealable.
1- لطرفي التحكيم الاتفاق على اختيار المحكمين، فإذا لم يتفقا اتبع ما يأتي: أ - إذا كانت هيئة التحكيم مشكلة من محكم واحد تولت المحكمة المختصة اختياره. ب - إذا كان
- Article 16
The article bars an arbitrator from having an interest in the dispute, requires written disclosure of anything that raises doubts about his impartiality, and sets the cases of his disqualification and the grounds for challenging him.
1- يجب ألا يكون للمحكم مصلحة في النزاع، وعليه ـ منذ تعيينه وطوال إجراءات التحكيم ـ أن يصرح - كتابةً - لطرفي التحكيم بكل الظروف التي من شأنها أن تُثير شكوكا لها
- Article 17
The article regulates the procedure and time limits for challenging an arbitrator absent agreement, appeal of a refusal to the competent court, and the effect of a challenge ruling on the arbitration proceedings.
1- إذا لم يكن هناك اتفاق بين طرفي التحكيم حول إجراءات ردّ المحكم، يقدم طلب الرد - كتابةً - إلى هيئة التحكيم مبيناً فيه أسباب الردّ خلال خمسة أيام من تاريخ علم ط
- Article 18
The article allows the competent court to remove an arbitrator who cannot perform or has stopped performing his task at either party's request, and makes removal of any other arbitrator by the parties' agreement, with the removed arbitrator entitled to compensation in some cases.
1- إذا تعذر على المحكم أداء مهمته، أو لم يباشرها، أو انقطع عن أدائها بما يؤدي إلى تأخير لا مسوغ له في إجراءات التحكيم، ولم يتنحّ، ولم يتفق طرفا التحكيم على عزلـ
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.